The Magic Book (aka The Time Emma Almost Lost Her Groove)
by EmmaShalforever
Summary: Regina comes across some disturbing images in Henry's fairy tale book. Chaos ensues. Established SwanQueen


Pairing: Emma Swan / Regina Mills

Rating: Light M

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters and make no profit from them.

AN: Set some years in the future where Henry is in his early teens.  
Also, ops, i managed to give the wrong link, but now it's correct, I've tested it.  
Inspired by this funny caption: ladysnarkbite . tumblr . com ./post/41338918085/fairytales-arent-just-for-the-kiddies-dearies  
Obviously, you'll have to remove any spaces to view it and the dot after com (God I hate that ff won't let you have links)  
This is a one shot, but it might get a second, ahem, steamier chapter.

* * *

Things are finally starting to resemble something close to normal, whatever 'normal' can be with a town full of fairy-tale characters. But Regina Mills - former Evil Queen - is feeling strangely content with how things are progressing. Hook and her mother have been sent away to somewhere they can't cause havoc, she's just been 'reinstated' as mayor and Henry is long since back home with her. Of course, there have been some changes too. Like the fact Emma Swan is staying with them, sharing her house and her son; as well as her bed, but that's not something that's widely known yet thankfully. 'The Savior' has been reluctant about telling anyone from some kind of fear that her long lost parents will find out.

Regina can understand the hesitancy and skepticism from her lover; after all it's the same doubts the mayor has to face herself, if for slightly different reasons.

People have accepted that she did a good job as the mayor after Snow declared she has no idea how to deal with all the processes and paperwork in this world and wished for her former step-mother to regain her position so they could try to get some semblance of order and normality back.

Naturally, she was reluctant to accept. Keeping grudges and making people suffer was kind of her trademark after all. But in the end she caved because she needed something to occupy her time and keep her busy and alert. Besides, she _had_ built this town and she'd be damned to see all her work go to waste.

Yes, the townspeople mostly leave her alone these days, smiling politely at her even though she knows they're silently waiting for her apparent 'change of heart' to come to an end or for some ulterior motive to come to light.

And so it seems like a bad idea to announce her intimate relationship with their 'Savior' that now goes far beyond just sharing and parenting Henry. It would bring a whole new burst of chaos to the rapidly cooling town.

Half of the people here would probably accuse her of bewitching the sheriff, the other half trying to convince the blonde woman that it's just a fraud from the former Queens side so she can ensure she wins and gets her revenge.

They could at least try to come up with something new or more colorful if they were going to throw allegations at her. For fairy-tale people who know magic exists, they have surprisingly bad imaginations and one tracked minds.

Regina thinks it's along the same lines with Emma when it comes to Snow and Charming. With the less than happy history between them, she can only imagine what the two idiots would think. They would probably try to convince their daughter that the mayor was deceiving her and if that didn't work, they'd try to threaten the former Queen herself. And then, when they finally realize it's not going to change anything, they'd most likely try to kill her or find a way to imprison her or transport her to another land so they could keep their child 'safe.'

It seems, after all, that nothing is ever meant to be easy in her life. Except that's not entirely true. Being with Emma Swan has been surprisingly easy. Their bickering has long since stopped being mean or hateful. Henry likes to tease them by saying it's their way of showing they care for each other and all their flaws. And in a way, it kind of is. It's their way of communicating when they're not alone; when they can't use kisses and caresses and the intimacy of their bodies close together to reassure each other. It's familiarity. It's routine.

Ugh, she's analyzing and musing too much again. It's the dangers of being home alone in a mansion while her lover and their son are out and about doing who knows what. She should really find something to clean so she can keep busy. She hasn't tackled the war zone that is Henry's room for a while. No matter how much she scolds him or threatens him, he just can't keep things the way she wishes him to. 'Organized chaos' he calls it, claiming he knows where everything is when it's all over the place.

She decides it's a good enough way to waste some time until her family gets back.

She sighs as she starts picking up things from her son's floor; clothes that should have been put away for washing, comics that should have been sorted or at the very least put away in the shelf. Her son's messy habits concerns her, especially since he's starting to reach an age where she's not sure she should or even wants to go through his room, not knowing what she can end up finding.

As she moves a pile of school books and comics away, she freezes. The book laying in front of her has been absent for a while now and she has almost forgotten that her son still has it since she hasn't seen him with it, or heard him mention it, for a long time.

With a mixture of resentment and affection she picks it up slowly. This is the book that has caused her so many problems and so much pain, but also the one who brought her and Emma together. And so with a sudden sense of fondness she takes the book and sits down on Henry's bed, letting her hand stroke softly over its binding.

She opens it gingerly and slowly browses the few first pages. It still looks the same as the last time she sifted through it.

She takes hold of all the pages and lets them fall slowly away from her thumb, flashes of images reaching her eyes as she skim the pages. She does a double take when she sees a flash of something new mid-way through all the pages and she quickly retraces back to the page. When she gets to it she sees an unmistakable picture of Emma Swan and herself standing close to each other, staring into each others eyes lovingly, intimately. Like lovers.

_What the Hell?!_

Quickly, she turns the page and gapes at the image of them kissing. She turns another page, and then another, not bothering to read the text and trying to find other pictures instead. She lets out a horrified gasp and slams the book shut at what she finds.

* * *

"Regina?" Emma calls as she rushes through the mansion door.

To say that she's stressed is an understatement. Not even twenty minutes ago she got a frantic phone call from her lover who sounded both angry and horrified. When she tried to make Regina explain what was going on, the woman had stuttered and sputtered, making no sense whatsoever.

Eventually, the mayor growled at the sheriff to get her ass home. And even though the blonde has no idea what she can have possibly done wrong, she feelt it would be in her best interest to do as told.

"Miss Swan," the former Queen shrieks from the kitchen and Emma jogs to the room. She comes to an abrupt halt when she sees her lover pacing frantically back and forth inside, a scowl on her face.

Automatically, the sheriff adopts a chastised and apologetic look.

"I didn't do it and if I did I'm really sorry," she says quickly, giving the woman that stares hard at her the best puppy eyes she can manage.

"Have you seen this?" Regina shouts incredulously as she tosses a book at the blonde who barely manages to put her hands up in time to keep it from hitting her square in the chest, fumbling with it to keep it from falling to the ground.

"Uh…" Emma states, staring down at the fairytale book her mother - formerly Mary Margaret - gave Henry so long ago.

"Look at it!" the brunette demands loudly, making the sheriff jump in surprise as she scrambles to open the book so she can start flipping through the pages.

"I don't see anything. What am I supposed to see?" she asks confused. Regina throws up her hands in clear agitation and huffs as she strides over to the other woman, her desperation making her miss the slight flinch Emma can't hide; a natural reaction to her body being on high alert at the sight of an obviously irate mayor.

It's not that she thinks her lover would hurt her, but as a former bounty-hunter she's experienced firsthand how people can lose control when they're angry or scared and it has taught her to stay on her toes and to always prepare for the worst.

The former Queen nearly rips the book from the other woman's hands and furiously opens it to a page towards the back before shoving it in the sheriff's face.

Emma stares dumbly at the picture for long moments.

"That's new," she states lamely, internally cringing at her badly chosen words knowing it's not what her lover wants to hear. But what can one say when you see a picture of yourself and your lover kissing in a book your kid is possibly reading?

"It gets better," Regina seethes as she turns a couple of pages and presents a new image.

"What the fuck?!" the blonde states as she can feel the heat rushing to her cheeks.

"My thoughts exactly," the mayor replies as her lover takes in the picture.

It's definitely not something that should be in any book that can be found and read by children.

The two women in the picture that's clearly meant to be Regina and herself are unmistakably naked even though the boobs appear blurry. The brunette is half sitting on, half lying back against the couch, while the blonde is down on her knees in front of her. And there's no way to misunderstand what's going on as a blonde head is positioned between parted legs, one of them thrown over picture Emma's back.

_Had Henry seen this?_

"Has Henry-"

"I don't know," Regina exclaims as she slams the book shut and throws it on the counter.

"What are we gonna do?"

"We'll have to talk to our son," the brunette replies as if it should have been obvious.

"Then I'm getting rid of the damn book like I should have done a long time ago," she mutters darkly, turning her gaze to stare at the cover with disgust.

* * *

"What's going on?" Henry asks confused, looking from one mother to the other, silently wondering what he's done wrong now as they've commanded him onto one couch while they're sitting in the one opposite him.

"Well, I was cleaning your room earlier-"

"Moooom," the boy whines.

"Oh shush, I wouldn't have to if you bothered to once in a while," the brunette bites back and Henry knows that whatever it is his mother has found, he better keep his mouth shut until she's finished or his punishment will only get worse. And so he crosses his arms in irritation and makes a face that tells her to get on with it.

"I found the book of fairy tales Mary Margaret gave you," she says after a moment, searching her son for any kind of reaction or realization.

"So?" he asks confused. "I haven't read it for ages."

"So you haven't seen anything about me and…your mom?" Emma asks awkwardly, cringing internally at the look of curiosity she sees light up their son's face.

"It adds new stories? Cool," Henry exclaims as he watches Regina relax slightly while the blonde frowns.

"Where is it? I wanna see."

"NO," both women shout simultaneously, making their son lean back on the couch in surprise.

"O-kay," he breathes confused, his brows furrowing as he tries to think of why Emma and Regina would react so badly to a story about them. His teenage mind provides him with a disturbing option.

"Eww," he states, horrified at the thought of his mothers together together. That is not something he ever needs to think about.

"Can I go now?"

"Sure kid," Emma stammers out, not understanding how her lover doesn't seem embarrassed or affected when it comes to their son's outburst. But then again, she guesses the brunette is just too happy that Henry hasn't seen the images to care if he finds them being intimate gross.

The blonde doesn't normally care what people think or feel about her and Regina. But she remembers all too clearly how hard it was for the former Queen to regain her son's trust and approval, how hard he was on her. And it's made her wary about losing his high regard for her.

If there's two people she doesn't want to disappoint, it's her lover and their son. Everyone else she can deal with. But if they ever looked at her like Henry did with Regina, she's not sure she wouldn't completely break down.

It's a scary thought to know someone has come to mean so much to her that she's scared she'll fuck something up so they'll leave or that she always thinks about how they would feel instead of putting herself first.

But she's starting to get used to it now, they both are. It has taken them a long time to open up fully to each other and put their trust in someone other than themselves, but they have. And they're both happier than they ever thought they could be.

"Let's not ever do this again," Emma tells her lover as they get up from the couch.

* * *

"It could always have been worse right?" the blonde asks out loud when she shuts the door to their bedroom that evening, making Regina roll her eyes to herself in the bathroom mirror.

There hasn't been one single conversation between them since they talked to their son earlier where Emma hasn't at some point asked for her reassurance to whatever worry has popped into her mind and apparently refuses to leave.

"And I thought I would be the one to freak out," the brunette mumbles annoyed as she comes out from the bathroom.

"Hey, don't think I can't hear you," her lover replies with a mock scowl as she starts to throw off her clothes haphazardly.

"He says he didn't read it and I've locked it away where no one will find it. He's not going to be scarred for life, he'll be fine," Regina says for the 5th time that day as she crawls onto her side of the bed.

"I still say we destroy it once and for all," the blonde replies as she disappears into the bathroom for a moment, before reappearing with her toothbrush hanging from her mouth.

"I mean," she starts as she takes it out so she can talk better. "It's creepy enough that it apparently changes and adds stories as they happen, but images like that is just wrong."

She puts the brush back in her mouth and brushes a few times before taking it out again.

"It's _so wrong_," she states as she wrinkles her nose. "Anyone could have seen it. _Our son_ could have seen it. Why didn't we destroy it again?"

Regina sighs in exasperation at her lover's behavior. They've been over this several times too.

"It won't let me, remember? I tried but it's protected by some sort of magic. And I'm not interested in sharing its contents with Rumpelstiltskin. So I hid it away safely."

"Right," Emma acknowledges as she disappears into the bathroom again.

The blonde releases a sigh when she comes back out and crawls under the covers.

"I hate magic," she declares sourly.

"Really? I don't hear you complaining about my magic," Regina replies suggestively with a smirk as she turns on her side to face her lover.

"Ugh, don't. There's no way I can do the dirty when all I can think about is that stupid book with the inappropriate images and all the damage it could have caused," Emma sulks as she looks up at the ceiling and pouts.

"Are you sure about that?" the brunette asks sweetly as she lets her hand move along the bed until it reaches the other woman's side, her hand dipping under the tank top and moving her somewhat chilled fingers over the warm skin of her lover's stomach.

"Yes," Emma answers defiantly, even though they both feel how her muscles jump excitedly at the touch, her breath hitching slightly.

"There's nothing I can do to take your mind off it?" Regina questions innocently as she shifts closer to the other woman so she can press up against her while her hand moves slowly higher until her fingers meet the underside of a breast and strokes softly.

"No," the blonde breathes out as she sucks in a lungful of air at the touch, her body betraying her mind.

"Are you certain you don't want me to try?" Regina whispers mischievously into her ear before letting her lips brush softly against the skin right under it at the same time as she moves her hand to fully cup the breast and squeeze. She smirks proudly at the gasp it elicits from her lover, focusing on the familiar feeling of a rapidly hardening nipple against her palm.

"We shouldn't. Henry-" Emma tries to say between pants, but the other woman cuts her off with a kiss.

"How many times to I have to remind you Miss Swan that the room is magically sound-proofed so no sounds get out, only in?"

The blonde feels a shudder run down her spine at the way her lover addresses her. Unlike earlier, her title and last name is not said with disdain or anger or annoyance, but is instead said playfully to remind her lover that she should focus on the correct thing; Regina.

"Many times I'm guessing," Emma replies wryly, delighted in the grin it evokes from the other woman.

"Well, how about we make sure it works?" Regina asks suggestively as she slides on top of her lover, making sure to keep her hand still working teasingly against the other woman's breast as she nips lustfully at her chin, delighted at the moan she receives for her efforts.

It's a cheesy line and a well-used one between them, but neither cares as it gives them the perfect pretense to enjoy themselves whenever they want.

"Good idea," Emma breathes as she moves her head to try and capture her lover's lips, only to groan in frustration as the brunette pulls up just out of reach, smirking down at her.

"Regina," she whines as she watches the woman on top of her sit up so the only part of them that's touching is the brunette's bare legs straddling her lover's hips and the hand still massaging her breast.

The blonde lets out a disappointed whimper when the hand retracts, which quickly turns to a grin when the other woman moves her own hands to the nightgown and swiftly lifts it up over her head, leaving Emma with front row tickets to tanned skin and firm breasts.

"Hi there," the blonde says as she looks at the slightly hardened nipples and grips her lover's hips to position her more comfortably against herself.

She smiles sheepishly at the rich laugh her goofiness evokes from the other woman, smirking as she lets one hand trail up Regina's stomach to squeeze playfully at a breast, eliciting a slight gasp.

"Give me what's mine," Emma suddenly growls as she pushes herself upwards so she can press her still tank top clad front against the other woman's bare one, her arms wrapping around the brunettes back to keep her in place as she looks up into dark brown pools.

"Me first," Regina counters as she lets her hands fall to her lover's tank and tugs, pleased when the woman releases her hold and lifts her arms compliantly so she can remove the obtrusive item.

"Now me," the blonde demands, pouting ever so slightly at the knowing grin from her lover before the woman indulges her wish and leans forward to capture waiting lips with her own.

Teeth nip teasingly at lips, tongues dueling wetly against each other as they let themselves fall back on the mattress, Emma savoring the feeling of soft, warm skin under her hands as she moves them back and forth over a bare back.

The blonde lets out a content and happy sigh when they finally break apart for some air and Regina starts kissing her way down her body.

_Book! What book? Who cares when I can do this?_ Emma thinks before a warm mouth closes around her right nipple as fingers slide deftly down to the apex of her thighs and through wet folds, making her lose all train of thought and force an appreciative moan from her vocal chords.

God, how she loves her life.


End file.
